Fernandina Beach Police
James T. Hurley, Chief
May 21, 2019 6:38 p.m.
Fernandina Beach Police responded beachside at Seaside Park near Sadler Road at 1:39 PM today after a 53 year old Akron, Ohio woman was struck by a silver Jeep Cherokee. The driver of the vehicle immediately fled the scene, even after being told by a witness that he had run over the victim.
At least three witnesses provided testimony to detectives investigating this incident. The vehicle was identifiable by Florida tag and officers immediately went to the area where the vehicle was registered, which was less than a mile away from the scene of the hit and run.
Police learned that the owner of the Jeep Cherokee arrived just minutes before police and hurried to park his vehicle in the garage of the house next to his residence. He refused to respond to police attempts to talk to him for more than an hour, but eventually agreed to come outside when asked by the homeowner.
The victim was apparently sunbathing on the beach in an area just east of where the sand drops off toward the ocean. Witnesses and physical evidence at the scene confirm that the driver of the Jeep drove eastbound toward the ocean and bounded off the raised sand to the sand below, striking the victim and running over her as she lay on the beach. The driver then accelerated rapidly and turned back to the west and drove toward the beach parking entrance.
We are currently interviewing the driver of the Jeep and we expect to charge him with Leaving the Scene of an Accident with Injuries, FSS 316.027(2)(a). Anyone with information should contact Detective Michelle Arseneau at 904-310-3217.
So glad there were witnesses to this accident and the police have identified the driver who will face charges. Guess we won’t have the doubters on Facebook questioning whether this was legitimate like happened on the incident earlier this month. Hope the victim didn’t suffer serious injuries and recovers quickly.
Why are sunbathers allowed where cars are?
It’s comical to listen to the crowd advocating beach driving and the narcissistic reasons they give in justification. They appear to disregard the tourism and real estate sales promotions highlighting our “pristine” beaches. Does anyone recall seeing an ad promoting Amelia Island and its beach with an endless row of parked vehicles and their tell-tale tread marks in “Departures” or the “AAA Magazine”? No, and you won’t because it is not an enticing story.
It is illogical to think that people on the beach for a day of sun and leisure are compatible with a bunch of beach driving yahoos. Two hit and runs and it’s not yet the Memorial Day formal start of summer.
Rather than demanding protection of their historical beach driving “rights”, it might be productive for this group to offer realistic and workable solutions. End point, it is their problem.
Why are motor vehicles allowed on the beach at all ?? The beach should be a safe place for individuals and family’s to have fun away from the normal daily dangers of the highways ! Certainly to many distracted drivers these days.. KEEP THE BEACH SAFE FOR BOTH NATURE AND HUMAN’S.
This has been a month for “canary in the coal mine” events — not only is it horrible that two people were run over on the beach, but BOTH were hit and runs!! Where is our humanity? What have we become? It is totally clear that we can’t live in a time-warp bubble where cars and beach-goers can safely co-exist. We have had enormous growth and development to the point where the 1950s traditions are unsustainable. Our City Commission and our County Commission need to protect public safety and get real on new rules to use the beach.